I Really Didn’t Mean to Play Go!
Chapter 39: "Xu Zijin’s Secret"

Yu Shao glanced at Mr. Chen and nodded.

"Principal, if there’s nothing else, may I go now?" Yu Shao asked.

"Go ahead." The principal waved his hand dismissively.

Soon, Yu Shao and the others filed out of the office. As the last person left and closed the door, the principal stood up, unable to suppress the excitement and pride on his face.

"Mr. Chen, who would’ve thought this year’s freshmen would be so full of hidden talent!" the principal said, beaming.

"After all the poor showings we’ve had in the Go league in recent years, we were almost the laughingstock of the top schools. But now, with Yu Shao and Xu Zijin on our team, we’re going to shock them all and finally vent our frustrations!"

He chuckled heartily. "The very thought makes me so happy!"

For weeks, the principal had been stressed about the upcoming high school Go league. Hosting the event while finishing at the bottom would be beyond humiliating. That concern had even led him to invite Wu Shuheng to host the Go lecture.

But now, a sudden turn of events: two exceptional freshmen emerged, and even the second-year student, though he hadn’t won in the simultaneous matches, proved to be far stronger than expected.

However, noticing Mr. Chen’s expression, the principal paused.

Mr. Chen didn’t look the least bit pleased. If anything, there was a trace of worry on his face.

"Mr. Chen, what’s wrong?" the principal asked, puzzled. "Don’t you want us to perform well in the Go league?"

Mr. Chen smiled faintly and replied, "Of course, I do. But Wang Rui and the others have worked incredibly hard to prepare for this league. Being replaced so suddenly must be devastating for them."

The principal’s smile faded. He understood this sentiment all too well.

After a moment of silence, the principal sighed deeply. "Mr. Chen, I know you’ve mentored them for two years, but this is survival of the fittest. It’s harsh, but it’s reality."

As Yu Shao and the other two left the office, they were about to head back to their classrooms when the three replaced students intercepted them.

Zhong Yufei tensed up, suspecting trouble. "What do you want?" he asked warily.

Xu Zijin remained silent, her icy gaze fixed on Wang Rui and his companions.

"I’m Wang Rui," said the tallest of the three, his expression complicated as he looked at Yu Shao and the others.

"And?" Zhong Yufei frowned.

Wang Rui hesitated before continuing, "Last year, we were the ones who represented our school in the Go league."

"In that tournament, we… lost badly."

"Afterward, we vowed to redeem ourselves in the next league. Since then, we’ve spent all our spare time practicing, studying game records, and competing with each other to improve."

"But from the way you performed in the simultaneous matches, it’s clear that you’re far better than we are—much better." Wang Rui’s face twisted into a bitter smile.

"Still… I’m not willing to accept it. Even knowing you’re stronger, I can’t just let it go."

He took a deep breath, his eyes blazing as he stared at the trio. "After school, meet us in the activity room for a game."

Yu Shao and the others were taken aback.

Xu Zijin scrutinized Wang Rui, her gaze as though piercing through his thoughts. After a moment, she nodded slightly and replied in her crisp voice, "Alright."

Yu Shao considered Wang Rui’s fiery determination for a moment before nodding as well.

Finally, Zhong Yufei, seeing the other two agree, followed suit.

"Good. It’s settled then. After school, in the activity room," Wang Rui said before giving the trio one last intense look and walking away with his companions.

Once they were gone, Zhong Yufei also parted ways with Yu Shao and Xu Zijin, heading toward the second-year building.

Yu Shao and Xu Zijin, both in the first year and sharing the same floor, walked upstairs together in silence.

With the hallways empty during the lunch break, only the two of them occupied the stairwell.

For some inexplicable reason, Yu Shao suddenly recalled Zhou De’s ridiculous theory: "Xu Zijin’s so pretty, she must have a natural scent."

To his astonishment, as he thought of it, a faint, pleasant fragrance seemed to drift from Xu Zijin’s direction.

It was somewhat like shampoo, but not entirely. The scent was a blend of shampoo and something else, faint yet refreshing—a clean, pure aroma.

What the h***?

Yu Shao was startled. Could Zhou De have been right? Do beauties really exude natural fragrance?

"You don’t seem to enjoy playing Go," Xu Zijin suddenly said, breaking the silence.

Startled, Yu Shao turned to her in confusion.

"I can tell," she added, her clear, bright eyes meeting his. "Why?"

"Uh…"

The question stumped Yu Shao.

His reluctance stemmed from having spent his previous life immersed in Go. Now, he just wanted to enjoy a carefree high school life. But how could he explain that?

He could’ve made up an excuse, but under Xu Zijin’s gaze, Yu Shao felt that any lie would instantly betray him and fill him with guilt.

Does Xu Zijin come with a built-in truth serum?

After thinking for a moment, Yu Shao finally replied, "It’s a secret."

Xu Zijin’s expression froze for a moment, clearly not expecting such an answer.

People almost always told her the truth when she asked questions, to the point where she was used to it. This was the first time a boy had responded to her question with "It’s a secret."

"A secret requires another secret in exchange," Yu Shao said with a grin. "So, unless you tell me one of your secrets, I’m not sharing mine."

Based on what Yu Shao knew about Xu Zijin, her personality wouldn’t allow her to divulge anything personal, let alone a secret. This conversation was likely over.

But to his astonishment, Xu Zijin hesitated.

Yu Shao was stunned. Wait, seriously? Is she about to reveal something? That’s not like her at all!

However, after a brief pause, Xu Zijin maintained her composure.

She said nothing, turned her head, and continued walking as if the conversation had never happened.